Andre Ellington: Should he stay or should he go?

Arizona Cardinals running back Andre Ellington is an unrestricted free agent. Should he be a Cardinal in 2017?

The Arizona Cardinals have a number of free agents going into 2017. Some will return to the desert, while others will move on. In this series – titled “Should he stay or should he go?” – I look at the cases for and against the return of key free agents, from both the team perspective and the player perspective.

First up: Running back Andre Ellington

Why the Cardinals should re-sign him:

In addition to his home-run potential as a runner, Ellington is an exceptional receiver out of the backfield – much like starting running back David Johnson. His ability as a pass catcher is particularly valuable, as it means the Cardinals do not need to make significant adjustments to their play calling when Ellington is spelling Johnson.

Moreover, Ellington, Chris Johnson, and Stepfan Taylor are all free agents. If the Cardinals decide that they want to bring at least one of them back, Ellington is the best choice from a talent perspective.

Why the Cardinals should not re-sign him:

Ellington has had difficulty staying healthy over the past few seasons. Even when he has been healthy, his play has not been nearly as impressive as it was during his rookie campaign.

Even with these concerns, it is likely that Ellington will draw interest in free agency. From a salary cap perspective, it may not make sense for the Cardinals to offer Ellington a competitive contract to play as a change-of-pace back – especially when there more affordable options available.

Rather than re-signing Ellington, the Cardinals could save cap space by bringing back Stepfan Taylor, Kerwynn Williams, and/or Elijhaa Penny in increased roles, or by selecting a back in middle rounds of the draft.

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Why he should re-sign with the Cardinals:

There is an advantage to familiarity. Ellington knows the system, and has a role in the offense. Furthermore, he would return to a team that – despite their disappointing 2016 season – has the pieces to be a playoff contender in 2017.

Why he should not re-sign with the Cardinals:

Ellington is a 28 year old running back. The reality is that this is probably the only time in his career that he will have the opportunity to sign a big contract, and the Cardinals will probably not be the highest bidder for his services.

A hometown discount is one thing when you are a star player who has already earned over $20 million dollars in your career. It is an entirely different thing when you are a running back looking at your one chance to sign a contract that could support your family for the rest of your life.

In addition to the financial considerations, there is the matter of Ellington’s role. Though Ellington does have a role in the offense, it is limited due to the fact that David Johnson is a three-down back. There are other teams that would likely offer Ellington a more significant role – perhaps as part of a true time-share.

Verdict:

Though the Cardinals would probably like to have Ellington back at a reasonable price, it is likely in his best interest to pursue a bigger role and contract elsewhere.